


Tuesdays

by annaoneannatwo



Series: Another stories [1]
Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Love Triangles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-25
Updated: 2017-11-25
Packaged: 2019-02-06 17:02:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12822039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annaoneannatwo/pseuds/annaoneannatwo
Summary: Jumin made a promise to Jihyun: he would take care of you.





	Tuesdays

Just another night. Wine, Elizabeth curled up, sleeping on a pillow, the typical sounds of the city, like cars’ engines and honks, the stars in the sky, and you, laughing softly while flipping through the pages of the photo album Jumin handed you.

“How old were you guys in here?”

“12, maybe 13… No, he was already 13, I was still 12, I remember because he had a birthday party a few days before school started.”

“Oh yeah… his birthday is in September…”

“Yes, there were a few years when school would start after his birthday, so he didn’t have to deal with finding his desk covered in birthday cards and presents from girls. I never had this kind of luck.”

You laugh at the way he sighs. And though the memories of glittery cards and stuffed animals placed over his desk in the first period still make him feel tired after all these years, the way you laugh and tell him “this is so Jumin” switches something about these memories. Then, he would only feel annoyed by those gifts he wouldn’t know what to do with, now, he allows himself on chuckling softly, thinking that maybe his attitude is indeed, a little laughable.

And that’s what changed mostly for the past year and a half. The stories from the past are gaining a new meaning for him, telling them to you makes Jumin see things from a different perspective, “this is so Jumin…”, he never thought about some of his attitudes being considered something he would do for sure, regardless of the situation. Thoughts like this cross his mind quite often ever since Jihyun was discharged from the hospital after his surgery and announced the need of some time with himself, asking Jumin to take care of you in the meantime.

At first, he thought that “taking care of you” meant providing psychological assistance, you’ve dealt with a lot back in those days, after all. But you politely refused, you said you were fine, you just… would miss Jihyun a lot, and the only problem was not being sure if you should feel like this, would it be selfish of you? This was good for him, and all you wanted was for him to have something good, so would it be bad to miss him? Wish that he were here?

Jumin didn’t know. How could he? He barely processed his own feelings about the entire situation, how could he manage to understand yours? He had wine to mull over about all of this, what did you have? Well, you had a close friend of him near you, someone who knew a lot about him, you had Jumin to answer your questions about Jihyun, fill the void he left with memories and stories that would help you get to know him better. That was what you wanted, and since you would know better than him what “taking care” means, considering you did it so well for Jihyun, Jumin obliged.

It was awkward at first. He thought about doing a binder with all you could possibly be interested, he had the answers, but it would be hard to give if you didn’t have actual questions. “So… let’s just talk. How was college?” you asked at one lunch he invited you to. And, by that, a thread of happenings started slipping out of his lips while he would observe your expressions, every frowning, every smile, would fuel his head on keep recalling stories that Jihyun would like you to hear, and, as time progressed, stories Jumin thought you would enjoy.

“Do you think he celebrated last year? His birthday?”

“Jihyun could be a little… absent-minded sometimes, I don’t doubt he could had easily forgotten his own birthday.”

“I hope he would know I haven’t forgotten.” You smile, but the way you lower your gaze indicates a slight sadness.

And he knows. Jumin sips some wine before the words escape his mouth. Jihyun knows because on last year’s September 9, precisely at 7:34pm, Jumin sent him a small text. “ _Happy Birthday, best wishes from me, MC and all RFA members._ ” The text was viewed, but never answered.

Just as all the texts Jumin sent him ever since. Updates on what was happening with him, RFA, and you. He didn’t get why his friend requested those  if he would never answer any of those messages, but… he never questioned, he thought about it, but all the texts “ _Why don’t you answer?_ ” or “ _I think MC would get happy if I told her you sent regards or something similar_ ” always ended as drafts in his phone.

“ _I told MC about our days trying to make into the polo water team at school, she laughed when I told her one of the initiation rituals was entering the pool completely nude, she said she would never take you or me as ‘skinny-dippers’. I said I didn’t know what this word meant. You’re welcome._ ”

“ _MC is thinking of getting a dog. I personally prefer cats, but I suppose they are good company too. She wants suggestions for names, I said you would come up with a great name just like you did for Elizabeth. She smiled and agreed.”_

_“I got a call from Yoosung today, he said MC had teary eyes when they met at the mall. He sounded mad, according to him, she was staring at a jigsaw puzzle a little before he met her.”_

“ _MC got sick the other day, nothing too alarming, don’t worry. I said she could come over if she wanted.”_

_“She laughed at one of my jokes today. Zen said he doesn’t like her laughing at my ‘attempt of humor’ but he would let pass because it was the first time he saw her smile in a while. I had to agree with him.”_

_“MC is coming every Tuesday night to have dinner with me. I found some old photos she might like to see next time.”_

_“She asked to keep some photos. I apologized for not having any of you by yourself, most of them have the two of us, she didn’t seem to mind.”_

_“She handles alcohol better than I thought. You’re facing tough competition.”_

_“She brought her dog the other day, he is big, but very docile. Even Elizabeth liked him.”_

_“MC called a meeting with the RFA today, she thinks it’s time for us to have a new party. Luciel said he’s not sure if it’s time, but it’s good to see her excited. I said I would think about it, but I tend to agree with him.”_

_“She dropped by C &R today and brought muffins to Assistant Kang and I. I wonder if she would take a job here, probably not if I offered her, but I’m thinking about asking Jaehee to suggest it to her and see how she reacts.”_

_“Have I told you she’s a heavyweight?  She drank almost a bottle and a half, I think she could had easily finished the second bottle, but she thought it would be better leaving before she would start getting sentimental. She didn’t want me to see her crying.”_

Many and many texts about everything he observed and thought it would be interesting or comforting. Jihyun asked him to be honest, so he would, even if the texts about the days you seemed gloomy caused him discomfort in writing and reading later.

He was already writing the text for today mentally. “ _We had wine and dinner and I’m showing her some photos of when we were teenagers, she seems glad today_.” And smiled softly, knowing these were good news, he was glad that he had good news about you today.

Jumin showed you more photos, joining you on the couch and recalling all he could about each one of them, all to make you smile, all to make him think more about those days and smile at every observation you might have about him. Past and present walking together to make him feel a comfort he never felt before with anyone else, not even… Jihyun.

And when he is telling you about the first time they got drunk together, Jumin feels it. A weight in his shoulder and a couple of strands tickling his neck. It’s you, dozing off on him.

Should he call you? Clear his throat in an exaggerated way? Slowly slide off the couch for you to lay down? His shoulder was stiff due to the sudden contact, it surely wasn’t comfortable, but you didn’t move, and if he leaned a little, he could hear the heavy breathing of someone in their sleep.

So he didn’t do anything, you would wake up at some point, with a flustered expression  and stuttered apologies, the idea of it made him chuckle, of course he didn’t want you getting embarrassed, but… he was curious about how you would look… have Jihyun ever seen you flustered? Probably not, there was no time for it in those days…

You toss a little, mumbling something inaudible.

“It’s okay, MC. Just rest…” he says quietly, trying not to wake you up.

Because he wants to see you flustered, but he thinks he shouldn’t, it feels like… stealing something that should belong to Jihyun, and it would if he were here. Where is he? Why would he want to know how things are if he doesn’t tell how they are for him? Doesn’t he know there are people here who would explode from thrilling just with a simple message, something like… “ _I’m fine, thank you_.”? Does he know how happy you would get by that? And how… relieved Jumin would be if you got happy?

“ _I’m falling for her.”_  He texted, and read it several times, not believing his fingers typed that, not believing all the thoughts he had led to this sentence in particular. No, this one couldn’t even be a draft, to the trashcan it went.

He is tired, the day of work mixed with the wine makes him sleepy. Yes, that must be the explanation, he is tired, and you offer comfort, even if it’s not intentional. Yes… yes, he is tired, he should sleep too.

But, for added measure, Jumin sends the daily text, the first one he felt like lying a little. He just had to use one of the drafts and add a few things before dozing off with you, hoping he will still be sleeping when you wake up, not allowing him to see you embarrassed.

_“She ended up sleeping on my couch tonight. She mumbled in her sleep that she misses you.”_


End file.
